The Dickinson press., 1887-04-16
WITCHCRAFT.

appearance. Calling to tho os.!cr l!a gave
him particular instructions as to the treat.
ment of bis horse. and, ordering the hest bed
and supper tho landlahy could provide, re-
tired for tirlc to his room, desiring to be
called when the meal was really.
In about an hour the supper was on the
table and the stranger sat down to it. He had
evidently come from tlistance-the state of
his horse showed that-and the way he did
Justice to the lan'lla,ly's cookery proved that
he must have been remarkably hungry. The
good woman was in truth rather alarmed at
the rapidity with which he disposed of what
she set before him.
He was we'll built young follow, of about
1s or 10, with broad brow and strangely
piercing eyes that seemed to follow her about
the room, and look through her to to the wall
each time sho caught their gaze. For about
half an hour he was silent-too husy, in furt,
to speak-but he was pleasant and liheable:
and when she left him TO himself tho dame
had taken rather u fancy to him.
Had she known how he was situated her
thoughts might have gone another road
For the distinguished stranger was n gentle
man commoncr of Oriel, who, with his choice
companions had been trying little amateur
highway robbery, and failing to find a victim
his pocket, trusting to what might turn ur
to furnish him with the means of paying his
bill.
As soon as he was alone he left the table
and took his chair to the fire He hcgan to
think over his position. His thoughts were
not encouraging. He had been living what
was u wild college life even in those wild
days; and his family had almost given him
up. His father, a bencher of Gray's inn and
a country magnate of influence, was an
eccentric man of strong will, never known to
60 back on his word; and in his last letter he
had given the son clearly to understand that
his patience was exhausted AS to money, lie
had sent him enough for SON" time; and as tc
"accomptS," he would I've responsible for none
"after the date of this my last letter, unless
ye amend.' lie had not amended; he had
gone further and failed
No wonder then that his meitations were
unsatisfactory. He kncy that he was not a
fool-his experiences With his follow students
had taught him thot-aml fortunately on
this occasion his self conccit ca,ne to his
rescue.
"Iy father and MOTHER" he said to him
self-at least he said years afterwald that he
said to himself, for he was not an unknown
man-"my father and mother are better
gifted than those they meet and am very
like them. have the old mans voice and
my mothers eyes 1 see things as quickly as
they do, and mind them as we'll And here
have been for two years with the chance of
getting what would give NE living if the
old people were to throw me over and what
have done!
What had he done, indeed! He had ac-
quired thin coat of university varnish
This is not u work of imagination, and we
will not enlarge on the Students recognition
of his folly. The conclusion he came to was
the ordinary one, quite the ordinary one {:
"Let nc get out of this trouble and will
never get into another"
But how was he to get out of this troublel
He could not help liking the CHEEKY, brisk
little woman whom he had come-disguise it
rs no might-to swntile. He had eaten his
supper; that did not trouble him SO much, for
it was obvious that if lie was to he honest he
must live. But how was he to pay for it!
The horse was not his; to leave it would he to
rob Pcter to pay Paul. He was in the same
fix with his clothes. The idea of doing q
little wrong to do great right, on the Bas-
s:,nio principle, occurred TO him, and was re-
jcctcd.
"No; I'll be honest, and I'll be thorough!''
he said; and, resolving to he very good and
very superior to everything and every one he
met, he strobe up and down the room.
GIL go and see mine hostess said he;
"lnay be something will happen to me-
And something did happen which played
sad havoc with his good resolutions.
Entering the kitchen, he found, seated by
the fire, a frai, weary looking girl of l5
whom the landlady introduced TO him as her
daughter.
Sick of a bad aguc; waiting for the fit,
which will come To her tonight
HAS she lsacn thus for lcilp:" asked the
student.
"a year this MicLael,nas, said the land
lady; "and never leech can cure her
have tried them all the country round and
paid them we'll, but there sits the poor cllld,
growing worse and worse. and surely shaking
into her grave"
"What does her father say, Is there none
in London that could tell you what to dog
"Her father, sir, has lccn dead these three
years. am poor widow, and have spent
all he left me in trying to cure the child, but
it is of no avail. Poor jess. poor Jess!'
The stranger looked troublctl-as he was.
To ride away from an inn without paying his
bill was bad enough, but to cheat a poor
widow in distress. for whose sick child she
had sacrificed her means of living, was
well, the act of scoundre.
The OXonian wished he had never left
Orel; he felt thorough. ashamed of himself.
So genuine was his Shame that it might he
thought he was fairly Oil the path of reforma-
tion and would thenceforward keep to it,
But it was not SO with him; and there nre
very many like him.
He was all right until he took another sip
Mt the wine which the hostess had tcmptingly
placed within his reach, and which, at the
moment he had resolved to rob the poor
woman no more, he, i'll pure absent minded
ness, lifted to his lips and unconsciously
drank. AS he put down the empty flagon he
caught sight of the new moon through the
window, and as his gaze was returning to the
fire it rested for moment on the patient,
pallid faced girl.
She was undoubtedly ill and he sympa-
thized with her. She was pretty and he atl-
nired her. But the low type Of face, with
the narrow, sloping forehead, the furtive
eyes and the weak willed mouth and chin,
told her character so unmistakably that all
idea suggested itself to him which he wei
coined with delight. a fig for his resolves!
Here was way out of his difficulties!
'What is the time of your daughters at
tach!'
The fit will come to her at 11n
Il will cure herr
"rhou: Art thou physician!"
Il have studied with the wiscst where wis
dom dwclis. Let your daughter do as di
rect and the ague will depart from her
art thou willing, Jess" asked the mother
The girl turned her lead, but the strangers
eyes were on her, and she whispered Yes"
Then will so back in brief space. &c
to seek some potent herbs under the rays Of
the young noon."
The student went out laughing to himself
at his new device ard thinking over the part
he was to play. He walked down the garden
! jumped the palings, crossed the meadow and
Z followed for time the bank of the stream